LJHS sports: Odds and ends

Seen and heard around the sports complex:

--Head LJHS baseball coach Gary Frank, who also announces Viking basketball and football games, was seen at the Jan. 12 boys basketball game sporting a hand-lettered T-shirt that said "Spanos sucks". That was the day the Chargers' move to L.A. was made official. Frank is a native San Diegan, having played his high school baseball for the Vikings. He was a second baseman.

--Cindee Russell, third-year cheer coach, and her charges have been busy lately. They weren't at the Vikings' Eastern League boys basketball opener at home against Hoover last week partly because they have been preparing for competitive cheering. Their first event, according to the coach, who has established visible quality in the cheer squad's performances during her tenure, comes Sun., Jan. 15, at SDSU.

Russell, besides being a wife and mother, is also a full-time student working for her undergraduate degree. Her plate is full.

--The Viking boys soccer team, after a 5-0 win over Hoover last week and further success this week, is undefeated at 9-0 heading into league play. Striker Luis Goehler and defender Jose Bello stopped by to update a local photographer/reporter at the boys basketball game Jan. 12.

--Principal Dr. Chuck Podhorsky has had to endure boys basketball games the past two weeks with split loyalties. When Hoover came to La Jolla to play the Vikings last week, the former Cardinals principal said with a chuckle, "I'm going to stand in the middle."

This week, as Madison invaded the Big Gym, the math major, who has been a competitive archer since he was a teenager, informed a listener, "I graduated from Madison." Both of his former schools lost to his present institution's representative.

To further complicate his position in the local community, his family home overlooks the campus at University City High. But the Vikings aren't scheduled to play the Centurions this year in basketball, though they were league opponents in the former Western League through last season.

--Vikings guard Jacob Ohara has had to endure the continued slings and arrows of having his last name pronounced "O'Hara", even at home games this season. This is his first season playing for the varsity. Another ear-splitter was Charlie Gal's last name being pronounced "Gale" repeatedly. It makes you want to put a cork in it sometimes.

Ohara's brother, Zac, played for the Vikings half a decade ago. I don't recall specifically, but I'm sure on the road he probably endured the same mispronunciations as his younger brother.

--On the mistaken name theme, I, more than once, wrote former basketball guard Eddie Parker's name as "Eddie Palmer" more than once two years ago. Also, Coach Paul Baranowski's son, Jake, I dubbed something else--I can't even remember what. Paul enjoyed that one. He let me know.